Slide operated fastener installation



Aug. 9, 1938.` s. EssERMAN SLIDE OPERATED FASTENER INSTALLATION Filed NOV. 17, 1937 me/YM qmde/ Esser/27a,

Patented Aug. 9, 1938 2,126,317 SLIDE OPERATED TFAsTENEa INSTALLA- IoN Samuel Esserman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1937, Serial No. 175,161

Claims.

The invention relates particularly to closing articles of apparel made of such materials as furs, knitted goods or other fabrics which have more or less long, exposed laments such as hairs or threads. The invention may also be of use to attach together the edges of such materials wherever they occur or are useful. For this purpose it is proposed to use separable slide operated fasteners of usual or standard types. One of the deterrents to the employment of such fastening means with materials such as indicated has been that the exposed or projecting filaments whether ythey be hairs or threads tend to become entangled with the slide member or the fastening elements or both. This ordinarily causes deterioration or injury to the fabric by disturbance, dislocation and binding of the laments. Another or addi-l tional inconvenience in such installations lies in the fact that the filaments, whether hairs or threads, when engaged by the fastening elements or the slidingmembers tend to interrupt the operation of the mechanism. It frequently is necessary to stop the movement of the slide member for instance, and reverse it so as to free the filaments and then carefully hold them out of the path of the lslide and the fastening members. This is a considerable inconvenience and has resulted in a limited use of slide fasteners in connection with such materials.

The present invention has to do with avoiding these defects and inconveniences. It has been discovered that it is possible to employ separable fastening means of the slide operated type with such materials if there is interposed between the material to be fastened and the sliding member some means for turning the edges and the projecting laments of the materials to be fastened away from the sliding member. This may be accomplished in numerous ways such, for instance,

as applying a free edged intermediate member which shall be exible but of suicient stiifness to be itself moved or lifted by the sliding member and at the same time lift and push out of the way the overlying material which is` to be fastened. In some instances it is found especially convenient to make the exposed edge of the intermediate member corded to add strength to it and give it the necessary operating characteristics.

In the accompanyingdrawing Figure-1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a closure of fur or furlike material. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. ,3 is a fragmentary plan View of closing mechanism applied to such material as woolen knitted goods having long extending threads or filaments. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through such a construction as Fig. 3, the sliding fastener operating member being indicated in position. l

As indicated in Fig. 1 the fur members IIJ and II may be, if desired, so placed that they substantially 'abut each other and their filaments or hairs cross and interlock atv their meeting edges. On the lining or inner side of the members IU and II are fastened the usual tapes I2 10 and I3 carrying at their edges separable fastener members I 4 and I5. The separable fastener members are operated to open and close by the usual sliding member I6 provided with a thumb tab or handle n. interposed between the tape l2 15 and the material I0 is a longitudinal member I8 which may extend outwards over the fastener members `Ill and also extends over and lies upon the sliding member I6. At its upward edge the member I8 may be corded as at I9. A similar member 2|) which may be corded at 2| is similarly inserted between the tape I3 and the material I I. The material I0 and II is here illustrated as extending partially over the cord members I9 and 2| although when desired it may be extended 25 over and may actually overlie the cord members I0 and 2|, thus extending over the slide member I6. Such an arrangement may be bulky, however, and may tend to forma bunchy meeting line for the materials I0 and II. Even when these 30 materials are set back slightly as indicated in Fig. 2 the loose filaments or hairs ,22 and 23 on the lrespective members I0 and Il may overlap and. interlock when the device is closed so as to more or less eiectively conceal the separable fas- 35 tener members I4 and I5. While this may be a desirable arrangement it is not essential to the present invention. At the adjacent edges of the members I0 and II the filaments or hairs 22 and 23 being arranged helter-skelter and not in order- 40 ly fashion may and generally do extend or droop or fall into or against the separable fastener members I4. and I5 and may thus be engaged by them as well as by the sliding member IB. Such arrangement might normally4 interfere with the op- 45 eration of the fastening mechanism but the members I8 and 20 are moved and lifted by the underlying slide member I6 andthe members I8 and 20 in turn lift the adjacent edges of the members I0 and I I and so push or throw the laments 50 or hairs 22 and 23 up and away from the fastener members I4 and I5 and more or less out of the path of the sliding member I6. The members I8 and 2U are flexible but sufficiently stiff or semirigid to cause the materials III and I I to be lifted 55 or raised away from the fastening members slightly in advance of the sliding member I6 so that the hairs or filaments are pulled out of position to be engaged by the closing fasteners and likewise out of position to be engaged by the slidingmember I6. This lifting or clearing operation may be aided by cording or otherwise specially stiifening the edges of the members I8 and 20 while still leaving'` them suiiiciently flexible for operation. There may be thus formed around the sliding member I6 a small tent-like structure by the members I8 and 20 being lifted at the contact of the sliding member I6 and gradually tapering off in advance thereof to contact with the separable fastening members I4 and I5. At this point in advance of the sliding mechanism there is a clear free portion of the separable fastener members substantially entirely free from filaments from the members I0 and I I. The ysliding member is thus always free to move without interference or obstruction by the filaments 22 and 23 and the separable fastener members I4 and I5 at. the point where they are joined or connected are likewise substantially free from contact with or interference by the filaments 22 and 23 which are thus kept from being entangled.

In Figs. 1 and 2 an effort has been made to i1- lustrate the invention applied to joining pieces of fur or other materials which have fairly long hairs or filaments and in which the hairs or filaments in the closed position may substantially hide or conceal the underlying closing members. In Figs. 3 and 4 the closing members are illustrated as so arranged as to more or less clearly appear between the edges of the members which are to be attached and they are illustrated in connection with fabrics 23 and 24 the edges of which are set somewhat back from each other and which may be provided with shorter threads or hairs such as may occur in knitted articles or'the like. Intermediate members |80, and 20a. are here illustrated as tapes of more or less rigid but somewhat fiexible material which have suflicient inherent strength to perform the desired function without corded edges.

In the claims the clause flexible sheet material having fur-like laments projecting from at least one surface is employed to indicate fur or knitted goods, or fabrics, or other materials having fairly long hairs or filaments.` f

The invention is not confined to the specific matter illustrated and described but may be embodied in other forms.

I claim as my invention:

.1. In combination with the adjacent edges of flexible sheet material having fur-like filaments projecting from at least one surface, a pair of tapes one secured to each edge of the material and carrying interlocking elements, an operating slider for causing the elements to engage and disengage and having a portion slidable between the interlocking elements and the edges of the sheet material, and a pair of longitudinal strips secured between the sheet material and the tapes and overlying a portion of the engaging members and a portion of the slider so that the filaments are kept from engagement with the interlocking elements.

2. In combination with the adjacent edges of flexible sheet material having fur-like filaments projecting from at least one surface, a pair of tapes one secured to each edge of the material and carrying interlocking elements, an operating slider for causing the elements to engage and disengage and having a portion slidable between the interlocking elements and the edges of the sheet material, and means between the sheet material and the tapes and overlying at least a portion of the slider so that the filaments are kept from engagement with the interlocking elements.

3. Means for fastening adjacent edges of flexible sheet material having fur-like filaments projecting from at least one surface comprising a pair of tapes adapted to be secured one to each edge of the material and carrying interlocking elements, an operating slider for causing the elements to engage and disengage and having a portion adapted to slide between the interlocking elements and the edges of the sheet material, and means adapted to lie between the sheet material and the tapes and to overlie at least a portion of the slider so that the filaments are kept from engagement with the interlocking elements.

4. Means for fastening adjacent edges of flexible sheet material having fur-like filaments projecting from at least one surface comprising a pair of, tapes adapted to be secured one to each edge of the material and carrying interlocking elements, an operating slider for causing the elements to engage and disengage and having a portion adapted to slide between the interlocking elements andthe edges of the sheet material, and a pair of longitudinal strips adapted to lie between the sheet material and the tapes and to overlie at least a portion of the slider so that the filaments are kept from engagement with the interlocking elements.

5. Means for fastening adjacent edges of flexible sheet material having fur-like filaments projecting from at least one surface comprising a pair of tapes adapted to be secured one to each edge of the material and carrying interlocking elements, an operating slider for causing the elements to engage and disengage and having a portion adapted to slide between the interlocking elements and the edges of the sheet material, and a pair of longitudinal strips having a corded free edge and adapted to lie between the sheet material and the tapes and to overlie at least a portion of the slider so that the filaments are kept from engagement with the interlocking elements.

SAMUEL ESSERMAN. 

